Junior school pupils during Robot morning

Junior Reflections Week 15 January 2026

Dear parents,

This week we enjoyed our first House assemblies of 2026. Our House Captains did an excellent job, sharing updates on the house shields; the designs are nearly finalised! In line with our theme of rules, each house also explored why rules matter and began creating a house-specific code of conduct, using the letters of their house name for inspiration.

It has been a busy time in the classrooms. F1C have started their new textiles topic in DT, learning how to thread needles and complete a running stitch. They have begun sewing their woodland creatures and are looking forward to creating finger puppets later this term. Also in DT, Lower Two pupils have been baking some scrumptious biscuits, and I know they are looking forward to the second bake, when they will be allowed to enhance the original recipe to create even tastier treats. In music, our Lower Two classes are progressing well with their brass skills on the French horn and are enjoying playing the Wallace and Gromit theme. Upper Two have focused on guitar, reading TAB and performing a four-part arrangement of Ode to Joy. U1R explored a drama technique called Conscience Alley to help Bertie decide whether his beloved white lion should be sent to the circus. This activity encouraged empathy, speaking skills, and creative thinking while bringing the story to life.

Robot morning was brilliant today, with the Lower Two pupils having a great time working collaboratively to design a robot out of an egg box; I was fascinated to listen to the complex conversations that were taking place and the delight when the pupils saw their hard work pay off at the end of the process. The pupils were lucky enough to have sixth formers join them to help guide them and when I asked one Lower Sixth pupil if they remember doing this, their reply was, “absolutely, I’m glad some things don’t change!” And I’m not sure who was enjoying themselves more, the junior school pupils or the Lower Sixth. A big thank you to Mrs Morgan for masterminding this inspiring morning for our pupils.

The kind weather has also helped us make a positive start to sport this year. Over the past two weeks we have completed our swimming trials, with all pupils recording faster times than in September – a clear reflection on their hard work in lessons, after-school sessions, and beyond. On Wednesday, we held our first ‘Matchday Wednesday’ of the term, playing St Peter’s to begin the netball and hockey seasons. The children showed fantastic enthusiasm and teamwork, making it a wonderful afternoon of matches.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Saskia van Schalkwyk

Playground person of the week

Camilla (U2C)

Parent quiz night

On Friday 27 February, the Family Society will be running a fun quiz night open to parents across the whole Exeter School community. Click the button below for more details on how to sign up.

The Family Society would also like to ask local businesses and individuals to donate gifts/prizes to go towards the raffle, to help make this a really special event. The support is very much appreciated and prizes can be dropped off at the bursary anytime between now and the 26 February.

Register here

Grease coasters

Many of us will remember just how fantastic Grease was as the recent upper school production. Coast to Coast, one of our Young Entrepreneurs teams, marked the occasion by creating Grease-themed coasters as a special piece of memorabilia.

There are Exeter School themed coasters available for £3.50 each, as well as special Grease coasters available for the reduced price of £1.50 each. The Grease coasters feature three designs, all beautifully created by Emma in Upper Sixth (Year 13).

If interested, please visit their Instagram account via the link below and DM your order.

Visit their Instagram

Exonian Lecture

Hear from the man behind Blue Peter, Alex Leger, who has travelled the world meeting incredible people – including members of the Kayapo tribe in Brazil. Alex will share stories from his days here at Exeter School and explain how they set him on a path to an adventure-filled career. The lecture will take place on Friday 6 February at 6.00pm – 8.30pm.

Click here for tickets

Choral Society

The Choral Society first rehearsal took place this week, drawing together members from across the broader school community, with pupils, parents, staff and guests all involved.

They will be performing Fauré Requiem, Parry I was Glad and Handel’s Zadok the Priest featuring the Choral Society Chorus and Chamber Choir, supported by a full professional orchestra. The concert also includes our school Symphony Orchestra joing with the professionals for a feature instrumental piece. It promises to be a spectacular event, taking place on Wednesday 11 February.

Click to purchase your tickets

Family Society summer ball

The Family Society will be hosting a summer ball on Friday 5 June at Sandy Park.

“We are offering an early bird discount and tickets are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment!

Hope to see you there!

The Family Society”

Book now

EdFest26

Each year, Exeter School hosts an education festival to promote learning and inspiration to all educators. This year’s event will explore the power of inspirational teachers to encourage aspiration in pupils. If you know any education professionals, you may wish to share the link below with them.

Find out more

Junior School News

Junior Sport News

Do you have a story or pupil achievement to share with our community?

If you have a couple of lines of information and a photograph that you and your child are happy to be shared we will try to post these at relevant times through the year.
Email our communications team
Last weekend, Amelie (Lower Two) travelled to the @uniofbath to compete in the South West Trampolining Qualifier.   After a strong showing, she won both a gold and silver medal in the 10–12 age categories and has now qualified for the National Finals in March 🥇🥈  A fantastic achievement by Amelie, and we wish her all the best for the upcoming National Finals! 👏  @exschsports @britishgymnasticsofficial #ExeterSchool #PupilAchievement #Trampolining #ExeterSchoolSport #IndependentSchools #InspireAndChallenge

...

27 1
👩‍🏫 We are seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to join our senior leadership team as Head of Upper School (Junior School).  🧑‍🏫This role is central to the Junior School’s vision, shaping the educational experience for Years 3–6 and working closely with a talented team.  🕛 The closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 2 February 2026. Find out more about this exciting opportunity and apply now via the link in our bio.  #JobAlert #ExeterJobs #EducationJobs

...

17 0
In November, some of our pupils took in the Bebras Computing Challenge - a national competition designed to develop logical reasoning, problem-solving, and creativity.  From collaborative team entries in the junior school to individual challenges in the senior school, our pupils excelled throughout the challenge, with full marks achieved across several categories 🏆   We are really proud of all pupils who took part! Those who achieved a distinction can look forward to participating in the Coding Challenge in March 🖥️   #ExeterSchool #BebrasChallenge #Bebras #STEMEducation #DevonSchools

...

13 0
England U20 selection for Rory 👏   Congratulations to Rory (L6) who has been selected to represent the England U20 cross country team at the prestigious Elgoibar international competition later this month.  This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to Rory’s commitment and hard work. We wish him every success as he prepares to compete on the international stage.  @exschsports @englandathletics #AspireAndFlourish #EnglandAthletics #IndependentSchools #DevonSchools #ExeterSchoolSport

...

98 1

Informal Concert - 14 Jan 2026

Hockey U13A/B vs Blundell's School - 10 Jan 2026

Netball Tournament - Taunton School - Blundell's - 10 Jan 2026

Community Service Christmas Party - 18 Dec 2025

Junior School Carol Concert - 16 Dec 2025

Junior School House Sports 11 Dec 2025

Whole School open morning - Friday 23 January 9am

Experience the school in action at our open morning. This smaller event offers the chance to hear from the Headteacher and have the opportunity to visit both the junior and senior schools. Click here to book your place.